Renewable Sources

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In 2006, wind-driven electricity powered almost 3 million households in the United States, and this renewable and plentiful green energy source has enormous potential for more. Large-scale wind farms generally[more…]

Diesel fuel is more efficient than gasoline because it contains 10% more energy per gallon than gasoline. But there are a few kinds of diesel fuel: Just as gasoline is rated by its octane, diesel fuel[more…]

All cars used to run on the same type of fuel, but now gas stations offer not only unleaded gasoline but alternative fuels, such as ethanol, diesel, biodiesel, and others. Ethanol in particular has started[more…]

Analyzing your wind resource (your site's average wind speed, measured in miles per hour) is one of the hardest jobs you face when selecting a wind-electric system; no single method gives you exact numbers[more…]

Many wind generator inventors, manufacturers, and installers make claims about how much energy you can get from their idea or product, but how can you know whether those energy claims are realistic, ambitious[more…]

Doing a usage assessment to determine how much energy you need is a vital step toward getting a successful wind-electric system that meets your power expectations. These steps help you calculate how much[more…]

After you decide that your home is a good candidate for wind power, you need to understand the basic parts of wind-electric systems and how they fit together. In addition, you need to evaluate how much[more…]

Powering your home with solar energy is about as green as you can go. The benefits to the earth are well known, but there are some financial rewards to replacing traditional carbon-based power with solar[more…]

Going solar requires an upfront expense. When you go solar, you get a good payback on your investment, but you do have to put out cash upfront. Banks have become very selective about loaning; in general[more…]

Using solar power in your home is inexpensive after the initial start-up costs. It also benefits the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Here are some more reasons to consider investing in solar[more…]

Solar energy is leading the green revolution. If you're considering installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on your home, you don't need to know how the PV cells work. Your solar contractor knows the[more…]

Good solar designers assess climate particulars to enhance system performance. Climate includes elements such as temperature, precipitation, and wind speed, among other things. When determining whether[more…]

Plotting a sun chart tells you how much direct sunlight you can expect over the course of a day so you can determine whether solar power is a viable option where you live. Sun charts are easy to plot and[more…]

After assessing your solar power needs and the amount of solar gain you can expect, you can turn your attention to mounting your solar collectors to gather as much sunlight as possible. You always have[more…]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) modules are ideal for charging batteries. The electronics are minimal, and the costs are low because of it. When a vehicle sits around without being started up for a while, its[more…]

To green up your life, you can build and cook with a solar oven. A solar oven can bake at temperatures above 350°F. You can't rely on precision temperature control, so you have to stick with foods that[more…]

Solar water heaters can be either active or passive. Passive systems are cheaper because they're simpler and have fewer parts. But they're also less versatile. Active systems, on the other hand, can put[more…]

For heating water with the sun, a wide range of solar collector constructions are available. Some systems are nothing more than solar collectors. For example, when covering your swimming pool with a solar[more…]

After you have your solar water collection system in place, you have to move the water to the working apparatus — usually back and forth so you have parallel sets. One pipe is directing water into the[more…]

Powering your home with rooftop solar collectors is great way to go green while reducing energy bills and your carbon footprint. If you mount solar panels on your roof, you can maximize your solar exposure[more…]

Not only can you build a solar water-purification system, you can also design it. Designing is just as much fun as building, and it's more rewarding because the system's entirely yours. The system shown[more…]

Boosting the efficiency of your swimming pool is an important first step in reducing your carbon footprint and moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Here's how to make your swimming pool energy efficient[more…]

You can heat your pool using solar power. Your pool system already includes the pump, controller, and filter, along with PVC pipes that route the water flow. Simply break into the PVC line after the filter[more…]